The Complete Guide to Setting Up a Cold Email Domain From Scratch

This is the step-by-step process for setting up a cold email domain ready for outbound campaigns. Follow every step and you will have a solid foundation. Step 1: Purchase the domain Buy a .COM domain from Namecheap, Cloudflare, or GoDaddy. Choose a name that is a variation of your brand (see Article 74 for naming guidelines). Step 2: Set up email hosting Create a Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 account on the domain. Google Workspace Business Starter is $7/user/month. Create two to three email accounts using realistic first name and last name combinations (sarah.mitchell@domain.com, james.chen@domain.com("mailto:james.chen@domain.com")). Step 3: Configure SPF Add an SPF TXT record to your domain's DNS. For Google Workspace, the record is: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all. For Microsoft 365, the record includes: v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com ~all. Verify with the SPF Checker. Step 4: Configure DKIM In Google Workspace, go to Admin > Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > Authentication. Generate a DKIM key and add the corresponding TXT record to your DNS. In Microsoft 365, DKIM is enabled through the Microsoft 365 Defender portal. Follow the provider's specific instructions. Step 5: Configure DMARC Add a DMARC TXT record to your DNS. A recommended starting DMARC record for cold email is: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com. This sets the policy to monitoring mode so you can observe results before enforcing. Verify with the DMARC Checker. Step 6: Verify DNS configuration Use the DNS Checker to confirm all records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are correctly published and propagated. Step 7: Create a landing page Build a simple one-page website on the domain. Include your company name, a brief description of what you do, and a contact method. This takes 30 minutes and significantly improves your domain's credibility. Step 8: Start warmup Connect your email accounts to a warmup tool and begin the warmup process. Run warmup for a minimum of 14 days before sending any cold emails. Step 9: Test deliverability After 14 days of warmup, send test emails to seed accounts across Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo using the deliverability checker. Confirm your emails land in the primary inbox before launching any campaigns.

The time investment

This process takes 30 to 60 minutes per domain for initial setup, plus 14 days of warmup time. If you are setting up multiple domains, multiply accordingly. To skip this process entirely, Warm Inboxes provides domains with all steps completed and warmup done.

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